


Imprisoned

by DarthOmicron



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Internal Conflict, Love/Hate, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-22 15:12:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6084411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthOmicron/pseuds/DarthOmicron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU taking place right after Naboo, Maul finds himself in a small cell and little time to act. To make matters worse, the Jedi who initially nearly killed him keeps returning and it is getting harder to bite back the need for revenge. With his master nowhere to be seen or heard, Maul can only assume he's expected to break out on his own. Trouble is, will he be able to under the loathsome watch of the Jedi?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Impatience and Bile

**Author's Note:**

> So this just stemmed from a conversation between a friend and I. I told her that I always envisioned my initial tale in a mostly canon AU, because I scarcely ever like anything too distanced from the original plot as a whole. She suggested I try my hand in writing something I'm not used to, and gave me the prison scenario, and now here we are. I do hope this one proves just as likable, if not more than my ill-prepared other ongoing story.

Healing had taken weeks and had been quite excruciating, but these were circumstances Maul could work with. Pain, he had been taught, was a tool to use just like any other bestowed upon him. They had stripped him of his lightsaber and his cloaks, keeping him in medical for a time before dressing him in prison attire and assigning him a cell.

And from there, Maul had drawn upon his hatred to fuel himself along. Naboo had been a disaster, when all had seemed so well and he had slain one Jedi, another caused his fall. Obi-Wan Kenobi was his name, the name now burning into the Sith's mind as he meditated on it with unbridled fury. The Jedi would pay for nearly taking his life, although Maul did allow a small shred of respect for the Padawan.

He had, after all, bested him in combat. Nothing but a stroke of luck, and a touch of the dark side.

Indeed, when Maul had slain the older Jedi, he felt a surge of white hot anger burst from the Padawan who confronted him. Anger that fed and fanned flames of revenge, and anger that allowed the second Jedi to survive their encounter.

The prison itself was maximum security for the most part, he had a cell to himself and was scarcely allowed outside of it. Food was given to him through a slot in the door, a sight all too reminiscent of his time on Mustafar with his master when he was just a child. Through habit, Maul did not retrieve the food until he was sure whomever had brought it was gone.

Sitting back on his bunk, the Zabrak surveyed the cramped room once more. Nothing extraordinary stood out, the entire thing was an eye-burning white shade and only boasted a single reinforced vent on the ceiling, too small to fit through. To his right was a sink that doubled as a water dispenser, and straight ahead was a toilet and a small locker in which he could place nonlethal personal items.

Nonlethal was the tricky part, as they mostly only allowed the Sith extra clothing and basic medical supplies for his wounds as he had requested. During his first night he had been vomiting often, a result of the shock sustained when the Jedi Padawan had sliced him in half.

Blood boiling, Maul replayed the memory over and over, committing Obi-Wan's face to his mind. Once he was free, as he was sure he would be in a matter of time, the Sith would take great pleasure in striking his foe down in the most agonizing way possible.

Now all there was left to do was wait, Maul's master held plenty of power and could without a doubt conduct some sort of escape.

\-------

Another full week had passed with not even a hint from his master, and Maul was beginning to feel wary. The warden had granted him the meager privilege of walking around the cell block to aid his muscle in healing properly, but it hardly served to do much besides make the Sith restless. Deep inside, he was aware that his master probably expected him to escape on his own, but in his current state that was nearly impossible.  
And without a weapon, Maul was certain he would be shot down within feet of the exit. No, biding his time would be the best route, patience was expected of him in these situations.

The Zabrak began another careful lap along the durasteel catwalks when the far door of the block opened up. Pausing in his step, Maul swore he could feel something strange and by the time he was aware of who it was, it was far too late.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had walked into the room, a hand on the hilt of his lightsaber in caution. Four guards accompanied him, two on either side, and almost immediately the Sith began to calculate his odds. They were not good.

"Lord Maul." The Jedi addressed him, clearing his throat. Instantly, rage boiled up inside of Maul and he had to clench his teeth to keep from shouting. Instead, he regarded Obi-Wan with a fierce glare, one that made the other man flinch just slightly. _Pathetic_.

"An interrogation?" Maul finally spoke up, his voice dripping with malice. "Are you sure you have the heart for such things?"

"I don't interrogate." Obi-Wan's response was offered with nothing but calmness, but his eyes betrayed him. Hatred of his own for the Sith who killed Qui-Gon gleamed in his eyes, and for a moment he hoped that there would be a fight so that the Zabrak may die once and for all.

"A visit, then?" Maul snorted in return. He didn't resume his walk, as he knew that either of them getting closer would result in his probable death. As loathe as he was to admit it, Maul knew that Obi-Wan was capable enough and he himself was without a weapon, now would not be the time for his revenge.

"I suppose. I do want to ask of you some things." The Jedi sounded as if he were straining just as much to keep composure, an observation which almost made Maul smile. But he kept his expression furious.

 _Good_ , Maul thought bitterly, _hate me, worm. You were not good enough._

When the Sith didn't respond, Obi-Wan drew in a shaky breath and continued. "If you answer them calmly, and cooperate, then you may be granted further privileges by the warden. And there is something we need to discuss. Finish your rounds here, and then the guards will bring you to me." He turned on his heel and hurried out, nearly overcome by emotion. Facing the Sith wasn't a good idea, but it was too late now.

Maul was very satisfied with the Jedi's reaction, the anger he'd felt radiating from across the room was awash with many possibilities. He mused that perhaps he could push that anger further, and use it to his advantage. Then he resumed his walk, feeling far more in control than he had in months.  



	2. Questions and Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting nowhere for Maul, and Obi-Wan keeps pressing the importance of his seemingly useless questions. It leaves the Sith in a state of confusion, and perhaps intrigue, when the Jedi simply refuses to hate him. Without any other way to be rid of his rapidly mind consuming anger, Maul exerts himself to the point of injury once more and Obi-Wan begins to think up a new way for the Sith to let it out. He has to, if Maul is going to live long enough to be useful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, I wrote a lot! I'm not sure where the drive to write so much came from, but I'm grateful!

Time seemed to pass at an agonizingly slow pace in the cell, not that Maul was without a fair abundance of it. At the back of his mind, he was aware that this mission was very much a failure and that his master would be very displeased indeed. Something else ate at him, guilt and shame over his first failure along with the horrifying prospect that the lack of contact was intentional.

By the next week Maul was certain without a doubt that he was being left to deal with this on his own, and that his master wouldn't want to speak to him after such a monumentally pathetic display. Grimacing, the Sith began another round of exercises in his cell. There wasn't much room, so he was limited, but some was better than none.

He didn't stop when his body began to burn, he didn't stop when it became near impossible to breathe and he didn't stop when the wound at his midsection began to bleed a bit. Only when he'd finished his workout did Maul allow himself to sit back and take a few deep breaths. The Jedi had requested an audience with him this evening, and it was important that he burn out some aggression beforehand. 

As expected, the exercise did little to stifle the fire burning inside of him. Picking himself up and dressing in a less bloody uniform, Maul waited at the door. Eventually, a small buzz just beyond it sounded and the door lifted away to reveal a few heavily armed guards ready to escort him.

Maul walked with them, disinterested in causing any trouble. He knew quite well that he could kill them all before a single shot was fired, but there was no use in that. Instead, he studied his surroundings as they went. The rest of the prison was just as dull as his cell, white and silver, with plenty of double--no, triple locked blast-proof doors in each hall. 

He noticed security cameras, also reinforced, decorating every hall and corner they went through. The room the Sith was ushered into was slightly more interesting, adorned with strange patterns on the walls and a few plants. Obi-Wan Kenobi sat at a table, mindlessly toying with his sleeve in thought. When he noticed them come in, he sat up and nodded.

Maul sat opposite of the Jedi, already he could feel waves of anger pulsing out of him and sent his own back tenfold. "Are you hoping to intimidate me?" The Zabrak spat, the chains around his wrists clinking together as he shifted to sit in a little closer. 

"Please." Obi-Wan said, disapproving. "I just want to talk." He had calmed since their initial meeting, but his own displeasure was apparent. Maul could practically taste it in the air, bitter and unwelcoming, and he hoped he had the same effect. 

"You don't need to play nice with me, Jedi." Maul growled, keeping his glare locked on to Obi-Wan's. "I know what you want, there's only one reason you'd be speaking to me right now."

"Oh?" Obi-Wan kept his tone as calm as possible, taking a moment to look the Sith over. He certainly was striking, red and black body in perfect contrasting shades. The horns on his head were also kept to neat points, and his eyes...

Shifting, Obi-Wan felt his stomach churn. Those eyes that he'd stared into as he had sliced the Sith in two, the eyes he'd watched widen in shock, robbed of any rational thought. Eyes with which he would be staring into when he drew his last breath before the Sith snapped his neck if he wasn't careful.

"I just need to ask a few questions." Obi-Wan began carefully, shutting away his fears and clasping his hands together on the table. "It's up to you if you want to answer them or not. Keep in mind that answering them will give you better circumstances."

"Better circumstances." Maul repeated with marked hostility. "Such as? More time to walk the platforms, perhaps mingle with other Jedi killers?" He taunted, unimpressed. The things his master had subjected him to during his life proved very useful, as he was not afraid of where the Jedi would put him nor what they might do to him. He very much doubted that they would do anything at all. 

"I can't say, I don't run this place and I don't know the privileges." Obi-Wan stated firmly, his irritation threatenin to boil over. Instead, he lifted one hand a little and shrugged in surrender to the Sith's point. "Very well, obviously that isn't going to persuade you. I do want you to know I came here of my free will, to talk to you personally."

Now that was interesting. Maul cocked his head to the side in thought, examining the Jedi's face. Assuming the pathetic boy was telling the truth, why would he have need to speak to his master's killer? Perhaps it was a front, so that Obi-Wan could finish what he started after some time. Maul could only hope so, as he had felt the Jedi's dangerous streak in battle, but the insufferable thing seemed hard pressed on adhering to their useless codes.

"To what purpose?" Maul spoke up, eyes narrowed. "I can feel your hatred, Jedi. You don't want to be here."

"You're right, I don't." Obi-Wan once more agreed, nodding once. "In fact, I'd rather be anywhere but. Here I am, can I get to my questions?"

\--------

It had gone entirely worse than Obi-Wan had expected, and been far more interesting than Maul had. At first, the questions were routine and shot down or met with silence, but as they became more pressing, the Sith had lost his composure. Before Obi-Wan had realized what had happened, Maul was on top of him and biting into the forearm he'd thrown up to protect himself.

There was blaster fire, set to stun, and then the Zabrak had shuddered and slumped to the side. As they dragged Maul away, Obi-Wan noticed the blood seeping through his uniform. "Wait!" He called after the guards, panting a bit. 

The guards paused, one turned to face the now ragged looking Jedi. 

"Make...Make sure that gets taken care of." Obi-Wan said, motioning to the blood. Swallowing, he gathered himself and took a moment to regain composure. The ferocity he had seen in those wild yellow eyes would not be easy to forget, searing into his skull was their intention. 

It was baffling, a bit maddening to Obi-Wan because he assumed his questions were benign enough. The last one he had asked was whether or not Maul felt like revealing the names of any associates or perhaps other Sith. As far as he was aware, there could only be two, and since Maul seemed to be near his own age he assumed that they were both apprentices. 

Well, Obi-Wan was somewhere in the middle now. He wasn't quite sure if he was going to be allowed to move up in rank anytime soon, but he had been told he was no longer strictly a Padawan. It was confusing, and more than ever he had wished Qui-Gon was there to advise. 

There was little else to do now but wait, and Obi-Wan exited the prison without so much as a backwards glance. This was going to be far more difficult than he had intially suspected, Maul seemed to have very little concern for himself. Never a good sign when it came to negotiations.

\---------

Slowly, agonizingly slowly did the black fade from Maul's vision and his senses return to him. He was in his cell once more, and he could feel new bandages on his midsection. However, when he tried to move, he found he had been restrained. Confined to the bed, like a disobedient child. 

Maul recalled his master's punishments when he would disobey with a grimace. His master would've left him bleeding, and would have not only restrained him but probably would have done so while feeding water in to flood the room, or perhaps an irritating gas. This would last all night, and then once morning came he would be expected to patch himself up and resume his training.

What he was confined to now was child's play. 

Only when evening fell did the restraints unlock and Maul was allowed to get up. He went straight to his usual set of exercises, furious with the Jedi all of the sudden. Remembering very faintly that Obi-Wan had ordered the guards to help him only made him all the more angrier. _How dare that filth pity me!_

Next time they met, Maul would make sure that Obi-Wan hated him with no remorse. It was horrifying to think that the Jedi would feel anything but at the sight of him. Without pausing his routine, the Sith mused that perhaps it was selfish after all, none of the questions had been answered. Self serving questions meant to give meaning to the fallen Jedi's death, no doubt. 

Meaning that Maul would not grant Obi-Wan, never. Fueled with the excitement of a new battle at hand, the Zabrak did a second set of exercises despite his pained body. Pain is power. Pain is meaningless, pain is a tool. 

The following day rolled on with little excitement, Maul was this time allowed into a small, poor excuse for a training room. It puzzled him, his outburst should have prevented anymore oh-so-generous gifts from the warden. But at least this time it was something useful. 

Snarling, Maul ran for the wall, his waist was screaming at him but he used it only to feed his mind. Then he leapt up, running several rapid steps up the side of the wall before flipping backwards and landing almost perfectly. Almost. 

Sidious' voice hissed through his mind. _Not good enough, again._

"Yes, master." Maul grunted, rearing back and bolting for the wall again. He hardly noticed the blood now oozing down his front, running up and flipping again. And then again, and again. Somewhere behind him a door slid open just as he landed yet another jump, and he didn't have to turn around to know it was the Jedi. 

Accompanied by guards as usual. Seething, the Sith ran for the wall with more ferocity than before. He ran up its side a little higher than before, flipped twice in the air and finally, landed perfectly. Breathing out a shaky breath, Maul turned to face the intruders. Shock crossed Obi-Wan's face when he saw all of the blood, and then anger.

"You're hurting yourself, you need to take it easy." He protested, forgetting to damper himself. "What are you thinking?"

"If I don't do this," Maul said through grit teeth, motioning a bit dramatically towards the wall, "Then I will kill you." 

That seemed to shut Obi-Wan up for the moment. Dropping his gaze, the Jedi sighed and rubbed his face. Things were quiet, save for Maul's strained breathing. His vision was getting blurred, but he would never admit such a weakness with his enemy before him. 

"At least let medical fix this as well. There has to be some alternative to ripping your wound back open." The statement took Maul by surprise, and he wasn't sure why the Jedi would bother so much. Obi-Wan seemed determined, though, rubbing his chin in thought. 

"Training has always grounded my anger." The Sith responded, a bit cautious. His expression read confusion, as did the slight drop in his hostile demeanor. What else made sense, aside from using aggression to beat anger? Obi-Wan finally looked up at him again, and then to the blood smatterings on the floor. 

"There has to be another way to train that won't be so strenuous on your injuries." The Jedi pointed out, he now began to pace. The guards kept their weapons aimed at Maul, who was rapidly losing energy. His legs were beginning to weaken, and so he staggered to a nearby bench and sat. 

Taking notice of Maul's condition, Obi-Wan whispered something to the guard. And then everything went black again.


	3. Fight and Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After having a dream for the first time in ages, Maul wakes to his guardian pest watching over him. Obi-Wan proposes a seemingly fool-proof plan to exert aggression, but a few problems do manage to surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is certainly a different type of story for me to write, and for some reason I'm just itching to keep it going. If you would like, leave some feedback on what you think so far! It's always appreciated.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Maul cursed himself for ever allowing himself to be bested in battle. He was conscious, but only just, aware of the needles and blades prodding at his middle. Willing himself to move to no avail, the Sith felt himself slipping back into the shadows of his mind. 

He woke suddenly in the middle of a temple, the Jedi temple, and all around they were with their faces hidden by hoods. All except one, Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing to his right, grinning down at him, blue eyes glinting with an unsettling hunger. Maul struggled, and found that he could not sit up because he no longer had his arms.

Nor his lower body. He was at the mercy of the Jedi, who were all laughing and taunting him. In the very back, his master appeared, the expression on his face grave. "Proceed." He instructed. 

"Master?" Maul tried to ask, but it came out as little more than croak which was swallowed up by the excited crowd. Obi-Wan lifted a blade and brought it down on the Zabrak's stomach, carving deep into him. 

"Is this what you want?" The Jedi shouted at him. "I hate you, Maul. I hate you." 

Obi-Wan's face was no longer that of the Jedi, but himself, sneering as he hacked at Maul. The searing pain in his gut felt all too real, but he refused to scream, biting it back and choking on it. Another quick look at his body revealed he was a child again, now uninjured but still at the scrutiny of his enemies.

Maul felt so very helpless for the first time in what seemed like his entire life. The older Maul reached out and began to cut at him with his claws, ripping his flesh open. This time, the Zabrak did scream, tears streamed down his cheeks and didn't stop even when the laughter had faded and only his master stood before him.

"We do not cry, Maul." The cloaked man said in disgust. "For every tear you shed, I will lash you and your meals will be halved. For every minute you waste crying like an infant, you will be confined in solitary."

Usually, the threats would stop him but this time young Maul just couldn't keep them back. He ran for his master, beating him with balled up, harmless fists. "Why? Why, master? There was never a place for me!"

The events repeated themselves over and over, with no end in sight. Maul stirred in the medical bay, while a few guards set up station just outside to await his awakening.

\------

Obi-Wan was startled by a quiet groan from the bed nearby, finding himself tense when the Sith began to wake. There were windows all around, and so he wasn't concerned with an outright attack for the time being. Surely his foe wouldn't be so foolish?

It wasn't until another ten minutes that Maul finally registered the Jedi's presence, and he snarled softly. "Come to cut me up some more?" The question was groggy, confused, Maul was having trouble placing memories and dreams in the correct order.

"What? No I...I was just keeping watch here." Obi-Wan said, unable to hide his apprehension. "You seemed troubled, I was studying your force fluctuations during your sleep-"

"And now you are boring me." Maul interrupted him with a dismissive gesture, looking the room over instead. He noticed that this one only featured one security camera, plenty of windows on the right wall but the guards didn't seem as intent with staring at him as the Jedi was now. Thinking back on his strange dream, he knew his master would want him to dispatch this pest in what ever way he could.

Perhaps this would be a way for him to learn false diplomacy, if he could trick the Jedi into false complacency, then he can find a way out and get back to work much sooner. After killing him, of course.

"Why were you studying my sleep?" Maul eventually asked, taking no care to sound any more friendly than before. 

"Oh, well I've always been a little fascinated in what kind of connections to the force people have. And you being a Sith Lord and whatnot, I was just curious." Obi-Wan said, pausing as if he were expecting some sort of complaint. When he was given only a lazy glance, he continued. "I just think that perhaps, as two differently trained people, there's a lot of potential to learn."

Maul narrowed his eyes, the Jedi's words sending his mind back into a cloud of anger. The very idea that they could ever benefit one another was laughable, but he knew that he may be able to use this to his advantage. Fake diplomacy, manipulation if it must truly come to that. 

"....You mentioned before alternative training methods," The Sith muttered, laying back on the bed once more and shutting his eyes. All of the sudden he noticed how exhausted he felt. "Have you thought any up?"

"Yes." Obi-Wan's voice was serious now, unwavering. A bare hint of anger at the edge of it that excited something in Maul. "Since you're angry with me, and I with you, I would propose that the best way to work through it without killing anyone would be sparring. With staffs or hand to hand, I feel like it'd benefit us both." He concluded, watching the other man. 

Smiling faintly where he lay, Maul opened his eyes and met Obi-Wan's. "There's an idea. And what makes you so sure I won't "accidentally" snap your spine, Jedi?" He taunted. 

"The shock cuffs you'll be wearing, hopefully." Obi-Wan retorted, "Or the guards with their blasters aimed for you." 

Despite the restrictions, Maul couldn't help but feel excited at the idea of at least besting his enemy in mock combat for the time being.

\------------------

The training room had been cleaned since the last time Maul had seen it, his blood no longer painting the walls and floor. Quite a few guards had been set up on both walls, their blasters tracking his every move and cameras following suit. Aside from the shock cuffs around his ankles, Maul only wore a pair of pants he could move freely in. 

He took small pleasure in the wary glances Obi-Wan gave the scar around his waist. The Jedi was also dressed only in a pair of pants and some boots, his physique was lean and toned enough, if not a bit small bulk-wise. They would be doing hand to hand exercises today, and Maul looked forward to teaching the Jedi a lesson. 

Obi-Wan was allowed the first strike, and he lunged forward. Striking with surprising precision, he aimed his fists for Maul's jaw. The Zabrak ducked and tried to sweep Obi-Wan's legs from beneath him, but the Jedi moved in time. To his chagrin, Maul admitted to himself that perhaps this Jedi wasn't so foolhardy as he had originally assessed.

Both circled one another around the room briefly, and then the Sith moved in. He went for Obi-Wan's face, but diverted at the last moment and punched him square in the solar plexus, and hard. With a yell, the Jedi crumpled. 

_Pathetic._

"Get up." Maul hissed, pacing in front of him. "Weakling. Get up, were we back at the palace, you would be dead beneath my boots." 

That returned Obi-Wan to his feet and he took his stance, glaring at the Zabrak. He moved quickly, ducking away from Maul's grasp and rolling over his back before landing a rough kick to his side. It threw the Sith off balance enough to allow Obi-Wan a few moments to maneuver. 

Maul spun around when he felt his opponent coming, driving his foot into the other man's middle and sending him sprawling to the floor. "You got lucky, that's all your victory was." He found himself saying to Obi-Wan. "Luck, and this just proves it."

"Maybe." Obi-Wan returned, "Or maybe you just don't focus enough on the bigger picture." 

Before Maul could register, one of the mats that had been leaning on the wall toppled over onto him. The distraction was sufficient, and once the mat had been thrown off the Zabrak began to get up. He never got that far, Obi-Wan was upon him, wrestling him down and subduing him.

Rage frothed up from the depths of Maul, so badly did he want to break the Jedi in half. But something else came with it, a grudging respect for the smaller man who he continued to underestimate. The Jedi was clever and resourceful, using his tendency to over-focus as an advantage. With Obi-Wan's arm around his neck, the Sith relaxed.

"Not bad." Maul grunted, shoving him away and standing. "Again, best two out of three, Kenobi."

\-----------

The routine became fairly normal after a while, and within two weeks they were permitted to spar with no guards in the room, giving them more space to move. Maul still had to wear the cuffs on his ankles, but he hardly noticed them and they did nothing to throw his balance off. He even began to look forward to the matches, as he won most of them and sent Obi-Wan on his way with more than a few bruises.

It was another slow evening when they entered the training room. Both had learned fairly quickly about how the other attacked, information which Maul stored away in his mind for later use. 

As always, Obi-Wan was permitted to strike first. He missed the inital punch, but adapted to Maul's usual tactics and swung his knee up into the Zabrak's jaw. Snarling defiantly, the Sith gripped his opponent's leg and threw him down, using this to flip away from him. 

Obi-Wan rolled away in time for the Sith's foot to connect with the ground where his chest had been moments before. Quick to return to his feet, the Jedi advanced on Maul with pointed aggression, landing a few more punches before having to duck away from a vicious kick.

Panting, Maul drew back as well. "Perhaps on day, you'll be a formidable opponent." He said, the taunt had a hint of mock affection to it that made Obi-Wan's skin crawl. The Jedi had little time to react when Maul came rushing at him, slamming him against the wall. Their faces inches from one another now, he dared peer into the angry eyes of the sith.

Obi-Wan found for once that they were unreadable, the usual murderous lust had gone and was replaced by something else. There was still anger, plenty of it, but he couldn't place what else. And all so suddenly, he felt the Sith's lips pressed against his and he froze.

When he felt the Jedi tense up, Maul let him go and stood back, regarding him with contempt. No reaction? How disappointing. Then he suddenly swung for Obi-Wan's face, and to his surprise, the attack was blocked. His companion was glaring daggers at him, mortified and furious all at once. 

"What was that?!" Obi-Wan managed to shout, nearly tripping over those simple words. He gave the cameras a nervous glance, and Maul knocked him off of his feet. 

"That, stupid Jedi, was a distraction." The Zabrak hissed, crouching down near him. "Your cold little heart isn't used to that kind of physical contact, is it? You froze."

"Of course I did!" This shout was louder than Obi-Wan had intended, but he was seething. "That was disgusting, what in the world were you thinking? And the cameras..." Even as he protested, he didn't stop Maul from advancing and sliding over him. In fact, he didn't stop Maul when he was kissed a second time, and then a third.

Obi-Wan's complaints died away with the fervent kisses, he squirmed underneath the sith but did nothing to prevent it. He found himself reaching out when Maul began to pull away and roping him into another furious kiss. There was only pause when they needed to breathe, but finally he let the Zabrak go.

"I should be returning to my cell now." Maul said without looking at Obi-Wan. The active reciprocation from the Jedi had been very unexpected, and even more disturbing was how positively his own body had responded to it. Sweat covered, bruised bodies pressed tight together as they made contact, Maul found that he had wanted to dominate the Jedi in more ways than one. He'd been attracted to him, something that rarely happened.

Exiting the room swiftly, the Sith returned to his cell and sat to think.


	4. Lies and Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when things seemed to be falling into rhythm, Maul finds himself right back where he started when an unexpected visitor throws him for a loop. Now he truly knows the meaning of his dream, and the Jedi seems set on trying to make it right. Even without a purpose, Maul is conflicted and desperate to hang on to all he knows.

Pent up aggression, Maul decided, was the reason for their odd display in the training room. It didn't trouble him solely because there was nothing behind the action besides lust and anger, no, it was the subject with which he had conducted these actions with. The Jedi, the brat who nearly killed him but didn't have the heart to finish the job.

When Obi-Wan didn't show up in time for their usual match the next evening, Maul wasn't surprised. A tad bit disappointed, but he brushed that aside and began a round of wall flips and then push ups. Still, it wasn't as satisfying, no matter how hard he tried, nothing could compare to true combat or the closest thing to it. 

With a sigh, Maul sat on one of the benches and peered up at the two cameras in the room. He wondered how much they had seen, and if they had, did they say anything to Obi-Wan? Did they ban him from returning, perhaps? Frowning, the Sith made for the exit. He approached the first guard he saw just beyond.

"Has the Jedi returned at all?" He asked. The guard regarded him with caution, and then slowly shook his head. Wonderful, so the Jedi was a coward. Making his way to the showers next, Maul considered why his foe might not return. He understood that the Jedi were very strict when it came to contact, but without connection contact should be no trouble. 

At least, he assumed as much. Sighing, Maul stripped down and stepped into the stream of water. He turned the heat up as far as it would go and let it cascade over his body. _Pain is power, master._

\-------------  
Ever since he had arrived, Maul had seen very little of the other prisoners. Occasionally he might see one or two on another catwalk outside the cells, or below at floor level doing volunteer work. They seemed less dangerous than him, but he knew better than to underestimate bottom-feeding nothing to lose low-life types. He'd learned many a hard lesson on Coruscant about just how far a man would go to stay alive.

One man, he'd recalled, had actually come after him and managed to stay hidden from his senses. The Sith grinned just a little as he remembered the cunning human shooting him in the back, the first ever to take him by surprise in combat, even if it wasn't much of a challenge once he'd regained his senses. Even now, Maul couldn't help but feel a degree of respect for the human who'd gotten the best of him. He'd granted him a clean, honorable death in the end.

Obi-Wan wasn't a bottom feeder. No, the Jedi was a noble hero, saving the galaxy from monsters like Maul. His near death wasn't the result of a survival instinct, it was born of revenge. The emotions flowing from Obi-Wan had been enticing, rage and anguish, hatred. 

The room seemed to grow cold in the middle of his thinking, and Maul felt himself begin to tremble, ever so slightly. A strange darkness enclosed on his mind, but it was familiar, and it could only mean one thing. His master was in the building, perhaps even coming to kill the Zabrak himself. 

Maul willed himself to move, he was outside of his cell for now and he didn't plan on cornering himself now. The daunting presence only grew stronger, and he heard the faintest whisper of his master's voice in the next room. Well, Senator Palpatine's voice, just another facet of the man underneath. 

For a fleeting moment, something small and weak stirred in Maul. An urge to run to the only person he's ever truly known, to run to what he perceived as safety. Home. Comfort. He knew better than to actually do so, as it would only get him punished. After what seemed like eons, the door to the cell block slid open.

Palpatine peered down at the Zabrak with a disappointed look, shaking his head. "This is the so very powerful and frightening sith lord? Former sith lord, I should say." All at once, Maul felt his body go numb. His previous suspicions had been true, he was no longer a part of the plan.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The Senator's question fell upon what seemed like deaf ears. And then Maul glared up at him, he hated his master with all of his being. Despised him, he would kill him! Before he had the chance to so much as twitch, the guards had raised their blasters.

"No, Senator." Maul hissed, closing his eyes and breathing to try and lessen his rage. "But I'm sure there's plenty to say about you." Such words were dangerous, and he knew as much. Regret spilled over him in waves, but there was some satisfaction in the sudden anger rising from the other man. Both of them knew the Zabrak would never give such secrets away, that wasn't an issue. No, it was the sheer lack of gratitude he was displaying that was. 

"Interesting, perhaps I could request private audience with you very soon." Palpatine said, his voice didn't betray his anger, he was always so good at hiding it. "I know I have plenty of questions for the Jedi killer. Perhaps we'll find out who put you up to this soon." There was no more talk, he'd exited the room, but it took Maul a while to notice.

And then he lost control. 

\-----------

In his return, Obi-Wan had hoped for things to return to normalcy of some degree. He brushed away what had happened as impulsive nonsense and would do the best he could to get what he needed to move on, hopefully aid the council, and then never have to see that horrible tattooed face ever again. His hopes died as soon as he'd walked into the prison, something was very wrong. 

"Excuse me?" Obi-Wan spoke up, hurrying over to the reception desk. "Did something happen?" 

The woman behind peered up at him, seeming as uneasy as possible. Tapping her fingers on the desk, she then glanced anxiously to each side before speaking in hushed tones. "There's been an incident with the Sith prisoner. Speak to the warden."

An incident was certainly not good news, and with how nervous everyone was acting...

Obi-Wan could only begin to imagine what Maul could have possibly done. He gathered himself and hurried for the warden's office, panic beginning to well up inside of him. The Jedi hardly noticed any of the guards giving him a hostile look, and in his rush to the office he collided with another prisoner. 

A Twi'lek male who glared down at him. "What's the rush?" He sneered. "Eager to see your scum of a friend?" 

What had happened? Scrambling to his feet once again, Obi-Wan pushed passed the prisoner and kept going. Only when he managed to burst into the warden's office did he allow himself to breathe properly, but even here there was aggression weaving through the air. The warden gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat, we have to talk."

\----------------

Solitary, sensory deprivation, silence of maddening proportions. Maul was restrained fully, bound up with reinforced chains and they had injected him with something that temporarily cut him off from the force. It was absolute insanity, he'd never felt so blind and helpless before. Nevermind the lack of light in the room, everything was so very dull without a connection to the force. 

All of this time alone was only good for one thing. 

Attempting to relax, Maul tried to drown himself in his memories. Mustafar, his cramped room seemed big at the time, as he was only three. Outside the lava seas raged, mustafarians would occasionally pass by in the distance. If he jumped, Maul could see a little bit more of the building he was in, wrapping around the side of a cliff face that dropped into more fire and molten rock.

Tosste was another world that his master had taken him to, and the very first time he'd seen the true power of the force.

"Master, must I be angry to use the force?"

"Not always, " Sidious had said, "But it helps." 

Maul had been so excited each time they went, as it seemed he got to try something new on every visit. One day, Sidious had presented him with a lightsaber to train with. He'd allowed Maul to use his own real and very dangerous lightsaber to slice a tree up. It was left in neat little cubes and slivers when the small Zabrak had finished and stepped back to admire the carnage. Wooden planks everywhere would fear him.

The day hadn't remained a good one, because this was the same day that the Dinko had startled him. Bastard things, spewing venom and hooking their claws into flesh, impossible to remove. Maul was only a child and he had flinched away at first, but managed to kill the wretched thing with one swift stomp of his foot. He was triumphant, until he heard his master's voice.

"You flinched. You were afraid of the Dinko?"

Grimacing, Maul recalled how Sidious waited until he had forgotten about the entire incident, and then filled his room with the animals. The lights would not come on, the door would not open, the young Zabrak spent an hour smashing his body around to kill them all, screaming and crying. 

In the morning, his master said only one thing. "Do not flinch again."

Maul's eyes snapped open, not that there was much to see in the small room. Above him there were two conical filters on either side of the ceiling. Gas, he deduced, to punish or to paralyze was the question. Between them was another far too small ventilation grate, and just above the door, a speaker. In such low light it was difficult to make out details, but the Zabrak was almost sure he saw a hidden camera in the vent as well. 

An hour, maybe two hours later, a small nodule on the speaker lit up. "Maul?" Obi-Wan's voice cut through the silence, and the Sith found himself sitting bolt upright. 

"I see you've decided to return." Maul said, "Come to punish me for my latest misdeeds?"

"That's not funny."

"I'm not laughing."

"I'm not going to punish you, I want to talk to you. They're going to let you out in about thirty minutes, but I'm sitting here having to give the warden reason to believe you won't act up again." Obi-Wan said, he sounded exhausted. The Zabrak almost felt bad, but he remembered who put him in this spot in the first place and that feeling was quick to pass.

"I'm not going to do anything." Maul barked back, and the speaker dimmed.


	5. Truth and Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are only getting worse for Maul, who is only just beginning to understand that he is truly alone now. Those who insist on speaking to him seem to enjoy setting him off, and the obnoxious Jedi keeps pulling him out of the fire. It's clear his uncontrollable anger will get him killed soon, if he doesn't try a new tactic.

They escorted Maul to the small conference room once again, his wrists bound tightly behind his back and his ankles fitted with shock bands. There were no new observations to make, he noted, but the cameras were now on him at all times. Not that they would be of any use should the Sith decide to do something extreme. 

Obi-Wan's face showed no indication of his mood, but as Maul sat opposite of him, he could feel a wave of distress and anger from him. Perhaps disappointment. Funny that the Jedi expected any less from him, besides the fact that this incident wasn't exactly his choice.

"So, the warden has decided to cut you a deal." Obi-Wan began, inhaling slowly. He took a moment before proceeding. "I persuaded her into allowing me to talk to you one more time, and if you tell me what happened, it might save you the interrogation."

The Sith could've laughed, were he not in such a foul mood already. "And why do you care what happens to me? Clearly what I've done warrants punishment."

"I know you wouldn't just kill for no reason." Obi-Wan said, his tone was sharp. "Something happened, I was told you spoke with Senator Palpatine-"

"I'm flattered that you think I wouldn't kill for sport, Jedi." Maul cut him off with a sneer, sitting forward to meet his glare. "But that's all it was."

"No, it wasn't." Now Obi-Wan presented the taped incident, playing it. Maul stiffened as he watched his projected self fall still. And next the projection started screaming, tearing at his own head and the room quickly went into disarray. Indirect force blows sent furniture scattering, and when the guards had tried to subdue Maul he quickly disposed of them. 

One curious and very unfortunate prisoner went to investigate, and the Zabrak bit his throat open, his eyes seemed distant, the rage filled screaming only ceased when he was gassed. After it was over, Maul looked down at his lap, scowling. 

"I need you to answer me honestly. Maul, look at me. Do you know Palpatine? Does your master?" Obi-Wan was quick to ask, watching the Sith bristle under his scrutiny. Finally, Maul looked up and spoke.

"No. In all truth, I don't even know much about him." He lied fluidly, no hint of deception ever crossing his face nor given away in his body language. "If you play back the tape, he was taunting me. Claiming things that I already felt about myself and when doubts are fed, we embrace them." There was truth to that, the words had cut deeper than any wound he'd felt before. 

_Former Sith Lord now._

"Why was he taunting you?" Obi-Wan frowned, that seemed very unlike the Senator. 

"Why do you think? I killed a Jedi, and nearly died as well. My entire life and training meant nothing, wouldn't you want to point that out to someone who committed such a vile act?" Maul growled, slumping back in his chair. "He was angry for the loss and angry for the threat I posed, I'm assuming he came here to see the mighty fallen Sith for himself."

Rubbing his temples, Obi-Wan proceeded. "And you still won't name your master? I think it's very clear he won't be coming for you." A dangerous thing to say, all things given, but Maul simply glared harder at him. 

"I am expected to resolve my problems by myself. And should I fail, being imprisoned is a suitable punishment." The Zabrak responded, an answer that made the guards look at one another. 

"Should you fail...What?" Obi-Wan inquired, reluctant to hear the answer. The warden would be listening, and Maul would damn himself. But the Sith only laughed and shook his head. 

"Relax, Jedi. I'm clearly not going anywhere." Maul grunted, gesturing to the guards and cameras. The men surrounding them visibly relaxed, but Obi-Wan couldn't shake the feeling that he was being lied to.

\-------------

They had struck a deal that previous evening, the warden and the Jedi. Obi-Wan had been personally assigned to oversee Maul's progress, or failure, and apparently help determine whether or not he was suitable to move on to a more progressive prison. It wasn't out of the kindness of his heart, but the sense of responsibility he felt for the trouble the sith had caused.

The Jedi assumed that he could keep an eye on Maul, clearly. Growling, the Zabrak did another round of furious exercises in the small training room, trying to keep his mind occupied. This would give him plenty of opportunity to dispose of Obi-Wan, but he'd have to be patient. 

Perhaps this would earn him favor with his master once more. The very idea sent his body into a different, more determined rage than before and Maul did a third set, ending each perfectly. "I will show you, master. I am still worthy." He hissed, practicing his usual flips and evasion tactics. 

Without assassin droids or sparring partners, it was less exciting, but he pretended that the air around him was filled with Jedi.

As he kicked and swung and flipped away, Maul could see the face of Qui-Gon all around him. And then Obi-Wan, and he fought harder, vividly imagining slicing the young Jedi into two, no, four pieces and leaving him to bleed out on the ground. He would present his master with Obi-Wan's head, drop it at Sidious' feet and demand to be returned to his rightful place.

His master had always respect authority, power, and proving one's worth. Maul intended to do just that, no longer would he simply clam up and take what he is given, punishments will be dealt but he didn't care. 

On Coruscant, Maul had been given much more than ever before in his life. A perfectly fashioned training room, as dangerous as it was useful. State of the art combat droids who would frequently be reprogrammed to take him off guard, not that they ever did, but it always pleased him when they tried. He'd been allowed free roam of the place, a library to browse as he saw fit, a room of his own.

Never had the Sith ever needed much, he found lavish decorations and useless expensive trinkets to be tasteless. Not to mention, Maul was a fair bit incapable of grasping what exactly beauty was supposed to be, and one color meant nothing more than any other to him. The only thing that would be interesting to have was perhaps paintings. 

Maul had seen quite a few in Sidious' office, always intricately done, perfect strokes eminating the visages of great warriors. Although he could not see beauty in such things, he could see power, and he would not mind having those around. 

Once he had completed a fifth round of his false combat, he sat down and began to center himself. Meditating on the pain in his middle, the anger in his core, the doubts in his mind. It would all serve to drive him forward and aid him in his pursuit of power. Soon, Maul's mind was much quieter, and he felt himself in the embrace of a familiar cloud of darkness. 

\------

"What is this?" Maul found himself asking, Obi-Wan had brought him outside of the prison. He was still made to wear shock cuffs on his ankles, but otherwise he was allowed out. A tracking device was installed in both of them, should he try to escape. 

"The warden has agreed to allow me a sort of guardianship." The Jedi sighed, he didn't particularly want to look after the Sith, but the other options presented would rip away any chances of closure. "I figured a day outside might clear your head."

"And why would a day outside clear my head?" 

"Most people don't like being cooped up in a small room, do you?"

"I am used to it." Maul grunted. Obi-Wan shook off a faint touch of pity at his core. The thought of being stashed inside a building with no ability to leave made him dizzy, why would a master think such a thing was a good idea? 

Isolation, alienation. It dawned on the Jedi that Maul had most likely been conditioned to keep away from others, to prevent any sort of bonding or connection. Well, it worked, Obi-Wan couldn't even begin to grasp his line of thought. 

"Okay, let's try again. Do you like being outside?" He asked, raising a brow. The Sith didn't face him, taking in his surroundings carefully. Maul noted the security gate, spotting two weaknesses along the powerlines. If he had to guess, it was electrified and set to kill any normal organic being. 

Above, sitting atop the main building were three blaster turrets on standby. Below them, a row of cameras with the ability to see in all light and heat spectrums. Beyond the fence wasn't anything important, a small guard shack and what appeared to be a storage unit to the left. One quick sweep of the horizon told Maul everything he needed to know.

"We're on Coruscant." He grumbled, stepping closer to the gate. Many a mission had taken place here, and he supposed it would make sense to keep the Jedi killer close to the council. Although it made him uneasy that his master was also there, watching and waiting. 

"Yes, we are." Obi-Wan nodded, walking up behind him. "A sky prison of sorts. Should anyone escape, well, they won't get far. Below is nothing but the depths, beyond underworld from what I've heard."

"I've been there before." 

"Underworld?"

"No, beneath." Maul said, peering down at the clouds that masked what would have been a terrible drop into the dark abyss below. "You nearly came close to where I was too. So I've heard. Obi-Wan Kenobi investigating the case of a missing Jedi."

Obi-Wan felt his blood turn to ice. It couldn't be....But it made perfect sense. He had felt a dark signature that day, and everyone had described the same hooded figure causing trouble. Two Jedi had died, both people he had known well enough. 

"You killed them, then?" The Jedi asked, his voice was strained, he was trying not to erupt. Maul smiled and faced him. 

"I'm afraid they both robbed me of that chance. Both of them killed themselves in attempts to take me with them. The older one was quick to do so, but the girl..." He paused when he saw Obi-Wan's jaw tighten. "The girl fought well. She fled, yes, but she and the human she was trying to protect ran me all around this place. I was...Impressed."

The words softened Obi-Wan's rising fury a bit, he turned away from the Sith. Scowling, Maul figured he had crossed some sort of line and was quick to add more. "When we fought, she was haphazardly throwing items around, at me to try and distract me. I underestimated her, she had actually been piling the explosives. She fought to her last breath to try and protect one life.

I don't condone such actions, as they cost her her own living, but...For what it's worth, she was quite the adversary. The concept is alien to me, such compassion, but it must have fueled her in a way that allowed her to accept death. She knew I was going to win, and she accepted it, but she would take me with her. Jedi or not, she refused to show fear. I can respect that."

Now they were draped in silence, broken only by a few gusts of wind and the distant noise below. Obi-Wan shook his head, still dismayed by the revelation, it all made so much sense now. The day had been such a difficult one, and so many lives were lost at the hands of the mystery assassin. Not so much a mystery now.

"Why did you do it? What were you after?" He decided to ask, sitting down on a patch of grass and keeping his attention on the cities beyond. Maul remained standing, observing the traffic below.

"The human had a holocron with sensitive information, he was planning on selling it for credits to the Hutts before fleeing." The Zabrak recanted, blinking. The memory was still crystal clear to him. "This holocron would have revealed us before we were ready, and my master wanted me to be rid of anyone who knew of it. At first it was only the human and another, but as the human wouldn't keep his mouth shut, I had to destroy many others."

"So many lives, Maul." 

"Most of them were criminals." The Sith pointed out, irate. "I did the job you could not, you noble Jedi refuse to wipe clean any predicament."

"Because most of the time, criminals are working for people they're afraid of. Like you were." The Jedi's words hit a raw nerve and Maul swung around with a roar, a trademark of his species. Obi-Wan was on his feet in seconds, ready to defend himself should he need to. 

"You don't know me, Jedi." The Sith spat, advancing on him. Obi-Wan found a clawed hand wrapped around his throat in the blink of an eye. "Don't project your pitiful stereotypes on me. I could have left if I wanted, I had free reign. I had only respect for my master."

"No, not only respect." Obi-Wan coughed, trying to glare back at the other. He was trembling, though. "You were afraid of what he'd do to you if you ever defied him."

The hand squeezed his neck tighter, he couldn't breathe. Maul eventually let go, just as Obi-Wan's vision was beginning to fade. "You know nothing of fear, you pest. You're coddled by your order, indoctrinated. You aren't given the truth as I was, you've not seen true power."

"What sort of truth is so great that you must be _abused_ to understand it?!" The Jedi snapped, gasping lungfuls of air. Tears stung the corners of his eyes, frustration was overwhelming him now. "Do you even have an idea of what you would have done if your master had fallen instead? Would you have a plan, did he teach you how to control and talk? Or did he breed you to kill and to throw away when your use was up?"

Obi-Wan hit the ground with a loud thud, somewhere in his chest there was a loud crack and he yelled. Maul had brought his foot down on the Jedi's side, effectively breaking two of his ribs. He looked absolutely rabid, snarling down at Obi-Wan with no restraint. The alarms above the prison began to sound and the turrets warmed up, but Maul was too far gone to notice it.

Weakly, Obi-Wan raised a hand just as the first hail of fire came upon them, his vision blurring beyond sight before long.


	6. Black and White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maul's meeting with Palpatine presents a new opportunity to prove himself, but the conflict he's feeling over what to do about Obi-Wan certainly won't make it easy. Unsure of what he feels one moment to the next, he must make decisions, and fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, everyone! I've been having some trouble with my legs, sitting still has been hard.

The Jedi had shielded him from the turrets.

The Jedi had saved his life. 

Pacing his cell, Maul tried his hardest to understand why. When no conclusion was met, he lashed out and punched the wall with a yell. It had to be purely selfish reasons, Obi-Wan wanted something from him, information, and his death would take the only source of that information away.   
He'd walked from the incident yesterday without so much as a scratch, unlike the Jedi, who had broken ribs. Something stirred in his gut, and it troubled him. A foreign feeling, but not completely unfamiliar.

Guilt, only just barely but it was still there.

The Sith didn't have time to brood, the door to his cell slid open quite suddenly, where two guards were waiting to escort him. It was time, the Senator had requested a private, unrecorded audience with him. Maul knew exactly what this meant, and he steeled himself as he walked the quiet halls. 

He would not flinch.

He would not cry.

He would not beg.

Maul was brought to a spacious room in some new corner of the prison, where the senator was waiting with a few political allies. Decoys, the Zabrak knew, that would soon excuse themselves and allow Palpatine to proceed alone. They had come under the guise of a legal team, aiding their senator in asking the hard questions. And the warden had already agreed to turn the other way no matter what happened in this room.

The other men left as expected, and the reinforced door locked behind them. Palpatine stood in silence for a very long time, looking his former apprentice over with disgust. Shame burned throughout Maul's body, but he fought to keep his face emotionless. It was useless, there was never hiding anything from his master.

"Come, sit." Palpatine's words cut through the rising tension with cold detachment, he seated himself at the table in the middle. Reluctantly, Maul complied, sitting opposite of him. For a long time, it was like this, the Zabrak's apprehension building and building. 

"I am told you've attacked the Jedi." He'd dropped the false warmth, it was Sidious' familiar voice echoing through the room now. Feeling as though he were only a small boy again, Maul nodded. 

"To what purpose, Maul?" Sidious asked, his icy glare only serving to make the Zabrak even more uncomfortable. "Were you hoping to right your wrong? Make up for your failures? Do not lie to me, I will know."

Swallowing, Maul shook his head. "No, Master. I....I was lost in my anger. I had been envisioning his death earlier, and what he was saying enraged me."

"I've heard you've been having a problem with that." Sidious said, although there was a slight hint of approval in his tone. One that Maul wanted to take hold of and protect with all his life, he only heard it so very rarely and even now...Well, it meant the world to him.

"They keep telling me that you have abandoned me, master. But I know better." Maul said with a little more confidence in his voice. He knew better than to be reassured though, and he knew there was still punishment in order. "I assumed this was a test. I began to formulate a plan to manipulate the Jedi, use him to escape." 

"Interesting," The older man noted, sitting back and regarding the Zabrak with an unreadable expression. "And then what would you have done?"

Maul's eyes narrowed, he looked up at Sidious, teeth bared. "And then I would have brought you his head."

Sidious was quiet, thinking over the conversation with a bit of amusement. Maul had never been one to enact anything but sheer brute force, he was terrible at lying and terrible at speaking. "I did see something else that was caught on camera, Maul."

The Zabrak felt his stomach drop, by the dark expression on the other man's face, he knew exactly what had been seen. Standing, Maul walked over to him and knelt before him. "I will accept whatever punishment you see fit, master."

"No excuse to offer? How disappointing. Usually, you're full of them." Sidious' grin was one of sheer cruelty, already traces of lightning were cracking at his fingertips. This particular room was well sound proofed, no one could hear Maul's anguished cries as he was struck over and over with the unforgiving electricity.

\--------

Maul woke the next day feeling strangely calmer, his body was horribly bruised and burnt in numerous places, but his mind was clearer than ever. Although Sidious had not confirmed it, he was certain his place as apprentice could still be solidified. All he had to do was employ clever manipulation, and slaughter anyone in his way. 

Starting with Obi-Wan, of course. All at once, Maul had a purpose again, a mission. Of course his master would never abandon him, not after everything he'd invested in, not after everything Maul had done for him.

The Jedi had been fairly kind to him, but kindness only presents weakness. Something he would have to exploit before long, the plans had been set in motion and he'd have to act quickly. As he showered, Maul remembered the vague hint of guilt that he felt at Obi-Wan's condition. 

Even more troublesome was the fact that he still felt it, gnawing at him like a gut-worm. Grumbling, the Zabrak switched the shower off and went to dry himself, then dressed in a new uniform. Any prisoners who crossed his path would duck their heads and keep walking, evidently they'd heard of his outburst. 

_Fools, all of them._

There was no use in expending his anger on them, or thoughts of them. Maul pushed through them as if they didn't exist, making his way to the training room. Nothing had changed much since his stay began, prisoners were not granted much interaction here, and any new arrivals were not interesting to him. The only thing he concerned himself with was the staff.

Through observation, Maul was able to learn their schedules pretty quickly, and some of their names. He overheard the guards talking quite often, and knew who was less than competent at their job as well as who was best at it. He also knew that every other day, the tapes were switched from the cameras at sunrise, on the dot each day.

And it took them about fifteen minutes to get every last one running again, starting with the other side of the building and ending just after the cell-block he was assigned to. For now, Maul stored that information away, it could be put to use later. 

He'd arrived before Obi-Wan did, but it hardly mattered because the Jedi was in no condition to spar. Granted, when Maul had broken bones, he still had to train, but the Jedi were different. Weak, undisciplined. To his surprise, Obi-Wan shed his robe and took stance almost immediately. 

"You want to fight?" Maul asked, watching his foe closely. 

"I don't see why not." The Jedi grunted in response, "It's just a few cracked ribs. Come on. You move first this time." Interesting, the Sith felt a new respect for Obi-Wan, if only just a little. 

"You know I will not hold back." Maul warned, moving to the center of the room and facing him properly. 

"I wouldn't want you to." 

The Zabrak was fast, too fast as he ducked away from Obi-Wan's defensive blow and swept his legs out from beneath him. Pain shot through his body when he hit the floor, but he got to his feet. Maul was on him again, darting to his left just as Obi-Wan struck out. For a while, they deflected one another's blows.

"Use the pain," Maul hissed at the Jedi, blocking another punch and sending one right for his injured ribs in return. "Make it into anger, make me pay for injuring you." 

Obi-Wan shook his head, the wound on his side was agonizing, but he refused to lose focus. And he refused to embrace any sort of dark side methods, instead willing himself to ignore his body and listen to the force, calculating his every move. As far as Maul was concerned, that was exactly what held him back. 

"Fine, then stop thinking." The Zabrak snapped, flipping away from an unexpected high kick. He noticed Obi-Wan flinch, but he kept coming. "You're trying too hard, listen to your body. Listen to the force. Feel it guide you away from my attack." 

To test if the Jedi was listening, Maul began an overwhelming assault, maneuvering flawlessly around Obi-Wan and punching him in every vulnerable spot he could find. Wearing him down, until finally, right as Maul was about to crack down on his spine, he ducked and rolled away, back onto his feet. 

"Very good." The Sith purred, motioning for Obi-Wan to continue. "You want to know why I was pushed so hard, Jedi? Because it perfectly attuned me to the force around me. I can feel every shift, every obstacle. At every waking moment, and I always am prepared to move before you can even decide how to strike."

"Perfect to a fault," Obi-Wan panted in response, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "You don't need to be perfect, no one does." He lunged for Maul again, and although he couldn't move as well as the Sith, he was doing much better at evading blows and counterattacking.

"It's too late for that now." Maul growled, kicking the Jedi back when he tried to land another punch. Even so, Obi-Wan managed to catch his heel on the Zabrak's jaw as he fell, sending the other man stumbling back. Using that opening, Obi-Wan rushed forward and knocked Maul over, bringing one foot down on his throat, stopping short of crushing it. 

For the first time in a long time, Maul felt very pleased with his circumstances. Perhaps this Jedi wasn't so bad, even if he refused to embrace true power. "Sloppy, but good enough. You listened to your body, didn't you? That primal instinct, combined with the force, it gives you an edge unlike any other. Light or dark doesn't matter." 

"I suppose I see your point there." Obi-Wan responded, letting his foot linger on the Sith's throat for a few more moments before stepping off of him. "I get the feeling you enjoyed that."

Sitting up and rubbing his throat, Maul nodded. "Although I don't like being defeated, and even though I wasn't fighting to kill, it's always interesting when someone can dominate me first." He confessed. "I find it....appealing."

"Do you listen to your body always?" Obi-Wan asked, "Outside of combat, I mean." 

"Not always, aside from a constant awareness of what is around me, I don't need to listen to it." The Zabrak was on his feet now, stretching his sore shoulder. "It is subject to desires that I have no need for. Despite my mental training, my body will still protest if I am injured. Likewise, it has wants that I am to ignore. I have gone without food and sleep for long periods, and still fought perfectly." 

"That's insane." Obi-Wan sighed, "But I suppose it's your life, hm? I'm going to take a shower, and then I need to go home, I have to take care of some things." 

Nodding, Maul went to clean up the training room. He couldn't help but pause and watch as the Jedi left, though.


	7. Sins and Shallows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, urges get the better of us. Maul learns this rather quickly, despite how well trained he is, he can't help but let off some steam. Inflicted with more horrifying nightmares, the Sith is left with little option now but to begin either trying to win favor or face the truth. Oh, and Obi-Wan buys him cookies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is starting off a little heavy, whoops.

The water was warm, steam welling up and encompassing the small shower unit quickly. Obi-Wan felt two firm hands slide over the sides of his hips, claws digging into them just slightly in a telling gesture. Maul had joined him, there were no cameras here, but taking too long would be suspicious all the same. 

Maul's teeth grazed the side of Obi-Wan's neck, causing him to shiver lightly. This was insane, but the taboo element only made it all the more attractive. Adrenaline still coursing from their sparring match, both men felt helpless to their instinct. 

"I hate you." The Sith hissed, grinding up against Obi-Wan's ass roughly, eliciting a soft moan from the other man. Maul was painfully hard already, and every part of his body was begging for release. But he knew better, restraint was a lesson he'd learned time and time again. 

"Oh, _you_ hate _me_?" Obi-Wan panted softly, he was stroking himself, a light flush on his face. "I'm so sorry I saved your life." 

Snarling, the Zabrak bit down on his neck hard, drawing blood. "Of your own accord." Maul growled, "I never asked you." He pressed two fingers into Obi-Wan, water would have to do. And he didn't mind the prospect of it hurting his companion a little. 

The Jedi bit down on his own tongue to keep from shouting, jolting a bit when Maul's fingers were suddenly inside of him. Still, it wasn't a horrible feeling, the mix of pleasure and pain being presented to him was very new. Obi-Wan wasn't about to just give him what he wanted, though. No matter how appealing it was, he needed to maintain some sort of control, because he'd already worked so hard to earn even a shred of respect at this point.

When Maul pulled his fingers out, the Jedi turned to face him and brought him into a hard kiss. Biting down on the Zabrak's bottom lip and lapping up the blood, Obi-Wan dared to shove him against the wall. He gripped both of their members in one hand, the other rested on Maul's shoulder and kept him pressed back on the tile. 

And Maul found that he just couldn't struggle, in fact, he liked this. Fighting for dominance was a trademark of his people, and even though he grew up so far away, the instinct remained. As did the appeal of a partner who could throw you around a little, and who wasn't afraid to, at that. 

"You look good, bruised up like that." The Sith said with an evil smirk, licking his own blood from his lips. Obi-Wan stroked himself and Maul in unison now, meeting the Zabrak's gaze with a challenging glare of his own. He then leaned in for another rough kiss, moaning into it.   
They only had so much time. 

Maul suddenly lashed out, gripping the Jedi's neck and forcing him to swap places. He squeezed Obi-Wan's throat, eyes locked on his face and drinking in his reactions. Now they were grinding against one another unabashedly, increasingly desperate for release. 

The hand around his throat drove Obi-Wan wild, he was gasping for air one moment and breathing the next. Even as he began to get a little dizzy, he didn't want it to stop. "Maul..."

"Yes?" Maul purred into his ear, giving his shoulder a bite as well. 

"Cum for me."

The demand was sudden, said with enough force to send electricity down the Zabrak's spine. Releasing Obi-Wan's throat, Maul bit into his shoulder harder and thrust against him, snarling. Quiet, he had to be quiet, or they would hear. It was so very difficult to be quiet! Small trails of blood trickled down the Jedi's chest, his breathing was ragged.

It only took a few more rough thrusts for Maul to climax, he shuddered hard and dug his claws into Obi-Wan's sides, supressing as much noise as he could. It wasn't often he was granted a chance to pleasure himself, and when he was, trying to maintain all control of himself was impossible. The Jedi seemed to like it though, biting back at his neck in retaliation. 

When he was finished, still panting softly, Maul took to stroking Obi-Wan. Slowly at first, teasing his companion relentlessly before finally giving him what he needed. Pressing his face to the Sith's shoulder and gasping, Obi-Wan hit his climax as well. 

"Not bad," Maul grunted, carefully pulling away from the Jedi. "I won this one, though."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh, and in turn, the Zabrak smiled. Only just slightly, but it was the first time in a long time regardless. It was quick to fade when Maul glanced at the nearby clock, frowning. 

"I have to go. They'll be wondering why we're both in here if I don't." He said, stepping out from under the water and finding a towel. Obi-Wan turned to finishing washing himself, unsure of what to say. 

What exactly does one say, when they just messed around with the enemy?

\---------------------

The night fell shortly after Maul had returned to his cell, as indicated by a chime that would sound off what hour it was. Sleep was not going to come easily, not after the vile thing he'd just done. Taking comfort in the fact that the showers hosted no camera feeds, Maul sat on his cot and began to prepare for bed. 

Perhaps, with a bit of luck, no one would find out. As long as Master Sidious didn't inquire about it, he would not have to confess to anything at all. And hopefully, that would be enough to spare him any punishments. 

Punishments he more than likely deserved. Laying back on the cot, Maul considered this, would it be wise to confess what he'd done? Would such a thing prove his loyalty, or further alienate him from his master? Of course not, grimacing, the Sith rolled onto his side and shut his eyes.

Suddenly, Maul found himself on Mustafar again, he was a young boy and everything seemed to tower above him. The hallway he stood in was empty, save for a single picture frame that depicted himself cut in two and a triumphant mix of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon standing over him. In the back was his master, laughing and laughing at how pointless Maul's life was.

And then he heard it, the sudden sound of metallic legs skittering on the ground, lurking in the shadows and coming closer by the moment. His hearts pounding, the Zabrak took off in the opposite direction. As an adult, Maul would have no problem, but for some reason he was a child here and his legs couldn't carry him for long. A frantic backwards glance revealed photoreceptors glinting in the dark.

Not just a few, no, hundreds. Whatever it was had started to gain on Maul, and he tried his best to pick up the speed. Behind him, the monstrosity called to him in a thousand different voices at once, but he dared not listen.

"Leave me alone!" Maul screamed, his voice was a terribly unintimidating squeak. The young Zabrak skidded to a stop in a large room adorned with tapestries here and there, in the middle stood a robed man. But when the figure turned, it was his adult self once more, glaring down at his child counterpart.

"You were afraid?" The older Sith sneered, "And of a harmless training droid."

From the hallway Maul had burst from stepped a relatively benign looking droid, its photoreceptors had returned to normal. The young Zabrak glanced back and forth between the two, then glared defiantly at himself. "I'm not scared of you! You're not master Sidious, you're me. You can't possibly do anything I wouldn't guess."

His doppleganger laughed, and laughed. Young Maul watched in horror as his older self began to split apart, the face cracking first, and then the rest following suit. He noticed that this version of himself also boasted cybernetically enhanced legs, and as the robe fell away he could see the all too familiar scar.

"You're afraid of what we will become." The older Maul taunted, circling the child and leering. "A failure to Master. You already are, we've failed him, and he's coming for us."

Suddenly, Maul sat bolt upright, waking. He was covered in sweat and his breathing was a bit ragged, nightmares were unusual. Although it wasn't needed, the Zabrak did a quick scan of the room using the force, reaching out for any sort of danger. There was none to be found, and he was content to settle back into bed.

Surely the nightmares meant nothing, beyond having to practice more control.

\----------------

"What do you think of going out?" Obi-Wan asked Maul one day, they had just completed another sparring session and were taking a minute to break. "As in out to the city, not...on a date, or anyhing." The Jedi clarified, frowning and flushing up just a tad. It almost made Maul smile, but he instead began to clean the room up. 

"I know what you meant. Do you think that would be a good idea?" The Zabrak wasn't terribly interested in sightseeing, he'd been all over and under Coruscant enough times to last. "I don't have any interests for you to exploit in your quest to make me like you."

Obi-Wan laughed a little, it was true that he had fallen prey to wanting Maul to at least be friendly with him. It was a mystery to the both of them whether he could be properly friendly or not, but he had his moments. As uncharacteristic as they were, the Sith was capable of extending some mild form of kindness in short bursts. 

"We can go do something interesting, then. Something we've both never done." Obi-Wan next suggested, he wasn't sure what that might be. Nothing interested him terribly either. Sitting down next to the Jedi after he'd finished cleaning, Maul shrugged. 

"I understand what you're trying to do, but I don't need to go anywhere." He said, but his companion wasn't entirely convinced. Thus, the next day, shortly before noon, Maul was to be up and ready to go. Obi-Wan had procured a type of ticket from the warden, which would allow him to take a prisoner out for a few hours. 

Maul hoped it wouldn't be longer than a few hours, anyways.

\----------

The upper walkways were as busy as always, but the crowd gave both Maul and Obi-Wan more than enough room. The Zabrak's striking appearance and the presence of a Jedi served to unnerve them, sending them five feet away on either side as they went about their business. 

Maul preferred it this way, he never liked intermingling with common people for numerous reasons. Aside from inflated ego, he found that they just had absolutely nothing interesting to say or contribute. 

"So, are you hungry?" The Sith's thoughts were interrupted by his companion, who was in a good mood, it seemed. "Or is there a food you'd like to try, or even just like to eat?"

"Why would I do that?" Maul grunted in response, eating for pleasure was preposterous. 

"Because it makes you happy, I don't know." Obi-Wan rubbed his chin in thought, then paused and narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me you've never had desserts." 

Blinking, Maul shook his head slowly. Of course he'd never had them, Master Sidious made it very clear that they were a waste. Although being a Sith included indulgences, both he and his master were not interested in a lot of them. Least of all being food, which Maul firmly believed was for energy and strength. 

"Not even on your birthdays?" The Jedi asked, a bit distraught. The puzzled look on Maul's face sent a wave of guilt through him, why would his abuser celebrate his birthdays? "Sorry, I'm just not used...I just figured..." Obi-Wan stammered, frantically searching for the proper words. 

"Stop, it's alright." Maul growled. "Don't start pitying me again." The last time, he had broken a few of the Jedi's ribs. That memory was enough to shut the other man up quickly. For a while, they were quiet while they walked, until Maul added in that he had no idea how old he actually was. 

"Master Sidious never bothered to keep track, and neither did I." The Zabrak explained, nonchalant. "He didn't believe in special gifts and days that were not earned. If I wanted something, I had to work hard, as it should be."

"Sometimes, it's alright to indulge yourself without doing anything big." Obi-Wan mumbled in response, his eyes on the ground. "For some people, getting out of bed is hard." 

"Then those some people are weak."

"You would be surprised."

"They would die all the same at my blade." 

The conversation died as well with the last comment, Obi-Wan let it go for now and walked along the next street with Maul in tow. He had decided to take the Sith to try at least something sweet, less so out of pity so much as it was curiosity to what the other man's reaction would be. If he had to guess, Obi-Wan assumed Maul would probably dislike them. 

Arriving at the small shop, the Jedi held the door open for Maul, who gave him a scowl. But as soon as he walked inside, the scowl shifted into something akin to awe. The place was filled with all sorts of colors, desserts and smells that overtook the Zabrak's heightened senses easily. He wasn't sure what to make of it, why was everything here so colorful? 

Opening his mouth to ask, Maul stopped short when he noticed something off to the side. Walking over to a small platter with shortbread cookies expertly crafted into the shapes of all sorts of animals, the Zabrak glared.

"Explain." Maul demanded, pointing at the platter and looking back at Obi-Wan, who laughed. 

"Explain what? They're cookies, someone baked them into shapes." The Jedi responded, amused. "It's like art, I suppose. It's meant to be cute, I think."

Cute. Maul grimaced and turned away from them, going to look at some odd cake display next. Cute was not a word that the Sith associated themselves with, Maul himself had trouble defining it just as he did with the word "beauty", it was all the same to him, useless. 

"If you're going to make me try something, you pick what it will be." The Sith spoke up, fairly overwhelmed by all of these ridiculous options. He wouldn't know where to even begin, there were so many things and not many of which looked appealing at all. 

Obi-Wan complied, selecting a few things and going to make the purchases. Mostly different cookies in a variety of flavors, white chocolate was his personal favorite, and he hoped Maul would have a favorite as well. Or, at the very least, find some tolerable. 

Finally, the Jedi brought him back outside and away from the horrid, overwhelming place. Maul visibly relaxed, and then he sneezed suddenly, growling. "That was...something." He decided, purposefully ignoring the look of playful mockery that Obi-Wan was giving him. 

"Come on, we'll go to one of the skyparks and have these there." The Jedi said, smiling a bit. Today was going to be an interesting one after all, he hoped.


	8. Mending and Harming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day out goes pretty well, both Jedi and Sith are growing fond of one another and neither knows what that will entail. Another visit from Sidious attempts to give Maul a good idea of what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing has been increasingly difficult, I'm coming down with something lately, lame. Anyways, leave me some feedback if you like! It's always greatly appreciated.

The skypark was relatively uncrowded, it was one of the less impressive, smaller ones and so most tourists passed it up in favor of the more expansive places. Boasting a small water recycling fountain and a few exotic trees, the place was the picture of false peace. It was also well out of the path of the walkway, far from the bustling crowds and hurried citizens. 

Maul's ever lacking talent in the idea of beauty made him register the skypark as nothing more than a waste of money for those who built it. But he kept that thought to himself, Obi-Wan seemed to be enjoying himself. Sitting on one of the stone benches, the Jedi played with his sleeve. 

"What kind of food did you eat before, anyway?" Obi-Wan inquired, tugging mindlessly at the arms of his robe. The Sith snorted in response, finding it to be a stupid question. He would humor the Jedi.

"Anything I needed to be strong and have energy, usually." Maul responded, carefully touching the leaves on one of the trees. "If I misbehaved I was given the barest nutrients to survive. But I didn't have a set diet." 

"Hm." Obi-Wan hummed, scowling at the ground while he thought. "What was your day like? I'm curious."

The questions seemed a bit suspicious, Maul carefully felt for any hint of an ulterior motive. He could find none, the Jedi must have been genuinely interested in his life. A strange notion, but one not to be taken lightly just in case. Stepping away from the tree, the Zabrak sighed. 

"I would be up as early as possible, sleeping in was not an option and wasn't desirable to me. I would eat alone in my quarters, then I would train." Maul recalled, and with ease. His daily schedule never changed, no matter his age, it was always the same. "After that I might have read, or used to Holonet to study. Unless I was sent on a specific mission, I was to keep at home and stay quiet so as to not disturb my master."

"It was just you two, then?"

"For the most part. Sometimes my master had a droid or two, but he always destroyed them when he was finished with their services. I was raised by one such droid, actually, I-" The Sith halted, glowering. Exhaling slowly, he shook his head, indicating no more would be said about the subject.

To his relief, Obi-Wan made no comment, although he was sure the Jedi was pitying him some more on the inside. 

"How about you?" Maul asked abruptly, sharp gaze focused on Obi-Wan. "What was or is your schedule?"

"Oh, well I...." Obi-Wan paused, then chuckled softly and shifted a bit to begin fiddling with his other sleeve. "It's not as rigid as yours was. I slept in sometimes, usually meals were had with the others. If I wasn't taking classes, I was training with...with Qui-Gon, my master." 

"Mmh."

"No witty comment about how you struck him down?" 

"No." Maul glared at his companion, who wouldn't look up to meet his gaze for once. Pathetic, why offer a challenge and then hide from it? "Would you like one? I can think of ten off the top of my head."

"I didn't mean to say that." The Jedi's voice was softer, he rubbed his face. "I just miss him, you know? Maybe you don't know. He was different than most of the others, unconventional, but so am I." 

That was true, Maul had pinned Obi-Wan as a very volatile person from the beginning. He was good at pretending like he didn't care, but the Sith fully expected his emotions would swallow him up any day now. Just as they had when the Jedi cut him in half, that wonderful surge of anger feeding his revenge, his power. 

"Unconventional." The Zabrak repeated, sitting on the ground in front of Obi-Wan. "That's putting it lightly."

"He actually refused to train me at first." Obi-Wan stated, laughing mirthlessly, instead it was a bit sad. "Said I was too vicious when I beat my opponent. I was, of course, but I just wanted to be picked."

Suddenly, Maul reached out and gripped the Jedi's hand a bit tightly. He shut his eyes and focused, and within a few moments he was satisfied, letting go. "I see. It's still in you, that passion." The Sith noted, approval lacing his tone. "You fight it, you shouldn't."

"I should." Obi-Wan responded, blunt. "Uncontrolled passion leads to dark paths." 

They stopped talking now, this argument had been exhausted time and time again and there was no point in bringing it up. Remembering the cookies he'd bought, Obi-Wan fished them out of his pocket, breaking one in half. A standard chocolate one for now, he seriously hoped Zabrak weren't allergic to it secretly. 

Then he held one half out to Maul, who grimaced and hesitantly took it. There would be no arguing about this either, the Jedi was stubborn, if anything. He knew good and well that the boy would sit there all day until he tried it. 

And so he did, taking a small bite of it. Maul wasn't quite sure what to make of it, the chocolate itself was surprisingly bitter, but the rest was far too sweet for his tastes. Coughing, he shook his head. "No, no no no. That will not do." The Sith wore a scrunched expression, one of equal parts bafflement and disgust. 

Obi-Wan couldn't help but burst into laughter at it. He covered his own face with his free hand, trying not to completely lose it out here in public. 

"You look so upset." He managed to gasp in between his laughing. At first, Maul didn't get what was so funny. He was upset! But then the Jedi's laughter began to wear him down.

He found himself laughing as well, just a little. It felt odd and wrong but Maul could hardly help it at this point. His companion wasn't able to collect himself for another minute or so, red faced and having to take slow, deep breaths. 

The Sith tossed the rest of the terrible dessert back into Obi-Wan's lap. "I'm not finishing that." He said, "You can't make me." The playfulness in his voice caught the other man off guard, but it wasn't unwelcome.

Smiling, Obi-Wan put the other ones away and placed Maul's unfinished half in the garbage. 

\--------

The day was coming to an end, Obi-Wan had decided to take Maul a few more places before going back. They ate at a proper place, for one, which had the Zabrak seething right off the bat. He explained that he despised when people spent time talking when they were supposed to be eating, something which Obi-Wan exploited a few times by pretending to have a conversation with him.

After this, the Jedi took him to some public information archive. Maul had never been keen on learning about his people, but Obi-Wan's interest won over and they spent some time reading about the Dathomirian Zabrak tribes. The Sith wasn't all too pleased about the slavery ring conducted by the nightsisters, but what could he do, really? 

"If only the world of Dathomir didn't hate people like me," Obi-Wan had said, "Maybe I could've taken you there one day."

Taken him there? Why? Maul assumed that it was supposed to be a nice gesture, meaningful or something of that sort. He did toy with the idea for a few minutes, wondering how his return would be received. Did they remember him, or had they forgotten him? Did he have a family, once? Would he be seen as an outcast and torn apart for his tresspassing? If he lead a tribe, Maul decided, he would kill anyone who dared to encroach upon his territory. 

Obi-Wan's attention had then gone to Zabraks in general, he read a few things and would tease the Sith gently. "You have two hearts but all of the love of a cold, dead star." Once the Jedi started getting into the more...social and intimate chapters, Maul had focused his attention elsewhere. The last thing he wanted to do was answer questions about his body and mind. 

Regardless, it hadn't been as horrible as the Sith had been expecting. The Jedi kept him out until sunset, but Maul had been enjoying himself and the company. A surprising realization, and one he promised to reflect on when he was alone. At the close of the day, Obi-Wan brought him back to the prison and informed the warden that everything had gone smoothly. 

"Alright, that's that, then. I'm done driving you nuts for the day." He said to Maul, grinning. The Zabrak rolled his eyes and started for his cell, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, giving him pause. 

"Listen..." Obi-Wan began, quiet. Chewing his lip, he continued. "I just wanted to thank you for at least tolerating me. I know this isn't easy, and it's not for me either. I think...I'd be okay from here on out, knowing more about you. So if you want me to let you be, you can say so. I'd understand."

A small bit of panic rose inside of Maul, and before he could stop himself, he asked. "What did I do wrong?" 

"No, nothing like that! I didn't mean...." The Jedi tripped over his words, frantic now that he was sure he'd upset Maul. "I just meant that if you...if you really hate me and don't want me around, you know, say so. I'd understand. That's all."

Regardless of the explanation, Maul felt sick and panicked all at once. He did his damnest to hide it, hating himself to the core for allowing Obi-Wan's words to unreasonably panic him. He wanted the Jedi to hate him, right?

Evidently not. 

"No. I don't want that." The Sith said carefully, glancing around as if he were being watched. It certainly felt that way sometimes, no matter how empty the halls were. The cameras certainly didn't help, and knowing now that Sidious probably regularly had them monitored only served to further his rising fear. 

Relaxing, Obi-Wan let go of Maul and nodded. "Alright, I just wanted to make sure. You know, I'm dealing with a lot of conflict inside as well. I'm just good at hiding it." He was quiet, rubbing his arm. "Sometimes I don't know what I think of you, most of the time I'm neutral about you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Maul asked in return, if this was how friendships worked, he was glad his master turned him away from them.  
"Because I want to know your side of it, what you think." 

Such a simple answer, yet it made the Sith feel confused. 

"I think you are clever," Maul stated, a brow raised as he spoke. "Sometimes. You're fairly strong, unrefined but with enough training you could become something better. I think you're lost, and afraid of expressing yourself truly. I hate you less than I hate the rest of the Jedi."

Obi-Wan smiled faintly and nodded. "I hate you less than most of my enemies, too." He said, meeting Maul's fiery gaze with his calm, grey-blue. There was nothing more to say, so Obi-Wan leaned in and gave the Zabrak a kiss. He was surprised when Maul carefully wrapped his arms around him, returning the affection with a soft purr deep in his chest. 

The cameras would undoubtedly be Maul's undoing later on, but for now, he didn't care. 

\--------------

"Sit." 

As soon as Sidious had issued the command, Maul took a seat at the table. He'd been preparing himself all morning for the visit, and had spent most of the night exercising to the point of exhaustion. He was a bit puzzled when his master brought two glasses over and poured them both a drink.  
Sidious watched Maul coolly as he slid the second glass over.

"I sense unease in you, Maul." He said, voice as cold as could be. There was something behind his eyes, a familiar glint of hatred. "Could it be that you don't trust your own master anymore?"

_Yes._

"No, master." Maul responded, peering down at the glass. He knew without a doubt that it had been poisoned, probably not fatally, but it would still be unpleasant. It was something that had been done to him once or twice before, as Sidious was usually more inclined to use brutal up front punishments rather than this. 

"Well? Go on and drink." Sidious said, drinking from his own glass and sitting back to watch his disgraced apprentice.

_No._

Maul picked up the glass. "Yes, master." 

And he drank all of it. The poison selected was one that could easily be tasted, Maul found himself overwhelmed by the bitter flavor but did not dare gag or wretch in front of his master. He finished the glass and set it on the table, glaring at his master. 

"Good," The older man sneered in return, "You still hate me, you're angry at me for leaving you here. If you ask me, it's suitable. You're clearly not getting out, as I'd initially hoped. A shame I'll have to find a new apprentice."

Snarling, Maul threw his glass at Sidious, who easily deflected it with the force. And then the Zabrak felt his throat constricting, his master was choking him, lifting him into the air and crushing just enough pressure onto his throat to make him suffer. But as always, not enough to kill. 

"I see your little friend is probably teaching you about self worth." Sidious continued, he sounded absolutely disgusted with Maul. "I've never lied to you about how important you have become, but I don't _need_ you, Maul. I've never needed you, and you know that. To think otherwise would be nothing short of a lie. So if you want to rebel against me, by all means, do it. But you will die with the masses of unsubstantial beings of the galaxy that you so very despise."

If he could have, Maul might have said something in return. It more than likely would have come out as nothing more than a soft cry. Sidious only released him just as his vision began to fade, the Zabrak fell to the floor clawing at his throat and coughing wildly. 

Master Sidious was right, of course. He was always right, Maul would have to prove himself worthy of being an apprentice once more. His train of thought was interrupted by the sudden, severe cramping in his stomach. 

Doubling over, Maul grew violently ill within seconds, vomiting copious amounts of stomach contents all over the floor. His entire body ached, the poison was taking effect and he was powerless to stop it. When the Zabrak was stricken with another vomiting fit, Sidious just sat back and watched, pleased.


	9. Rage and Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a sour turn as Maul is reminded of what really matters. He forgoes his budding relationship and conducts a swift escape, Obi-Wan is left in the wake of his destruction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, we're almost at the end now. Well, unless people would like more (maybe, are fanfic sequels allowed?), but the initial story I thought up is nearing its end. The next chapter should be it, and I hope you're all enjoying and have enjoyed this! I do apologize for the short length of this one, however.

The vomiting didn't stop for a full 48 hours, during which Maul had been sent to a hospital because the medical unit wasn't equipped to deal with this much illness. And they had only discovered him after he'd not come from his cell in about 24 hours, finding the Zabrak hunched over the toilet, weak and anguished. 

Maul didn't protest when the guards dragged him out, worried that if he opened his mouth, he might start gagging again. The terrible dehydration headache he was currently sporting did little to make it easier. 

Luckily, the journey to the hospital had been swift. Maul was placed in a heavily guarded room and hooked up to quite a few machines. If he had to guess, they were meant to re-hydrate him and give him nourishment when he couldn't so much as swallow his own saliva. The poison treatment was always absolutely miserable.

And yet, it had gotten him out of the prison temporarily. That was the only silver lining, even though Maul hoped it wasn't intentional on his master's part. He hated the idea that his master's respect for him was waning, that his master might see him as weak now. 

He would have to address that later, for now, an opportunity had presented itself and action must be swift. Not that Maul would be going anywhere too soon, he was exhausted and pained severely, to a point that he knew his chances of success were slim at the moment. Patience would have to do.

Settling down in the bed provided, the Sith quickly drifted off to sleep. For once, it was dreamless.

Despite all things given, Maul actually felt fairly decent the next morning. Solid foods wouldn't stay down, and he could only just sip liquids, but the headache was gone. The arrival of Obi-Wan put a stop to that right quick, the Zabrak felt a familiar aching building up in his head, along with anger.

"Are you alright?" The Jedi asked as soon as he came inside, he was breathing as though he had ran the entire way. 

"Your concern is touching." Maul responded bitterly, shaking his head. "I'll be fine, it was just a bug, I'm sure." 

"I wonder from what, they said you were violently ill." Obi-Wan frowned, pulling up a chair to sit next to him and look him over. The unwarranted scrutiny made the Sith squirm with discomfort and he pulled the blankets up more. 

"It doesn't matter, it's over now." Maul pointed out, waving him off. "I've dealt with worse."

"You're not in a very good mood today, are you?" The Jedi had reached out and touched his cheek, and he recoiled from the gentle hand, hissing. 

"Don't. No, I'm not. Leave me be." Maul barked in response, and Obi-Wan withdrew his hand. The change of heart wasn't unexpected, his Zabrak friend was frequently unsure of how to behave when it came to their odd relationship. All Obi-Wan could do was respect his wishes as they came. 

"Very well. I'll be back soon to check on you again, though." The Jedi warned with a sigh, standing and leaving the room before Maul could protest. It wouldn't matter, the Sith had no plans to stay much longer now. As soon as he had the chance, he would run.

\------------

2:30 AM, emergency medical ward at Aasal district hospital. Alarms began to blare within five minutes of the Zabrak's departure, he'd torn the tubes out of himself and made a quick escape. The sole hope being that perhaps he was still in the building, as a tape from minutes previous revealed he had taken the basement as his route of choice. 

Finding him down there, though, would be the difficult part. 

Maul was indeed still inside the hospital, taking refuge in the cool dark of the basement and fighting another strong wave of nausea. But he felt alive, a predator luring his prey once more, ready to strike as soon as they revealed themselves. And oh, they did. Flashlight beams swinging here and there were an indicator, but the Sith didn't need eyes to know exactly where the guards were.

Filled to the brim with a familiar burning rage, Maul launched his attack swiftly. Despite his weakened state, he was still far quicker than the guards ever could be. They hardly had time to cry out, and only one escaped his initial attack, the others toppled over with broken necks. Snarling, the Zabrak retreated into the darkness once more, taunting the lone guard from the shadows.

The man was trembling violently, aiming his blaster this way and that to try and get a visual on the Sith. "You're going to be sorry." He choked out, shuddering. "When they find you, you're fucked."

Maul didn't satisfy the guard with an answer, bringing his elbow down on top of the man's head with enough brute force to crack his skull. And then he jerked the guard's neck to the side, snapping it. Glancing over his work, the Sith felt only mildly satisfied. This had not been a challenge at all. 

But, he knew, there was more to come shortly. 

More wound up being a platoon of specialized soldiers, and some Jedi. Jedi! Maul was furious, but he wasn't terribly concerned. An escape route had long since been decided, and now the Zabrak was just weighing his options. There was an entrance into an abandoned elevator shaft nearby, he just wasn't sure how stable it was. 

"Maul?" Obi-Wan's voice rang out, over the loudspeaker. It was muffled down here, but the Sith could hear well enough. "Maul, please. Don't do this, we've worked so hard. If you kill anyone else, they're going to have a perfectly valid reason to execute you."

_If they catch me_ , Maul thought to himself angrily. _Which they won't._

Hurrying over to the abandoned shaft, the Sith wondered if Obi-Wan regretted being kind to him. It was an amusing thought, even though some wretched part of him didn't want it. He would drag that part out and set it aflame, the pathetic Jedi didn't matter now. 

"Maul, please." Obi-Wan spoke again. "Just come out from wherever you are. Don't make it harder than it has to be. You told me a lot about you, your master. What he's done to you, why would you ever want to go back to that?"

It was brave of him to bring Sidious up, Maul knew, because his reaction was always different and there was no way to tell which it was. Pausing, he decided to leave Obi-Wan a quick message, scrawling on a rusted durasteel pipe with a nail he'd found. 

And then he climbed down into the shaft, beginning his descent. 

\------------

A message, he'd left Obi-Wan a message. The soldiers had broken inside shortly after no response was received, storming into the basement to find nothing but seven dead men and no sign of the Sith. In all truth, Obi-Wan wasn't expecting much else, he knew Maul wouldn't have given up the chance to escape if it cost him his life.

He even had half a mind to believe the Zabrak wanted to die sometimes.

Obi-Wan was given a transcription of the message when the soldiers had done about ten sweeps of the basement just to be sure. It was encoded, Maul had used some primitive form of written language so that no one else could read it, no doubt. 

Pocketing the transcription, Obi-Wan left the hospital in dampened spirits. His return to the temple was equally as sour, as he was instantly hounded with questions and concerns on behalf of the council and student body alike. And in all of the chaos, the message had slipped the Jedi's mind entirely. 

It wasn't until a week or so later that he remembered, and began to decode it. Coordinates to somewhere in Underworld, followed by "Come alone. If you do not, I will burn your temple to dust." 

Swallowing nervously, Obi-Wan pocketed the translation and ran his fingers through his hair. Did Maul think he was out of his mind? It would be absolute insanity to go to some unspecified location in the underworld to meet up with a man who'd just killed again, and yet...Some deeper part of him begged himself to go. 

_You need this_ , it whispered. _You want him._

"I know." Obi-Wan groaned in quiet response to his thoughts, hiding his face in his hands. "I'm a fool." He muttered, standing abruptly and grabbing his cloak from the stand nearby. The Jedi made sure his lightsaber was on his belt, and then he departed.


	10. End and Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maul doesn't want to leave any stones unturned before departing Coruscant. He called upon Obi-Wan to see him again, and their meeting leaves him with a sense of contentment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it! The end of this short, but very fun to write tale. It's a bit anticlimactic, but I'm a sucker for bittersweet endings. If you stuck through all of this, I applaud you. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you all in my next story, I'm sure!

Underworld was always a dreadful place, home to only the lowest of the low and gangs a-plenty. Maul practically fit right in, back to wearing his cloaks and usual attire. At the moment, his position as apprentice was questionable, but Sidious had allowed him to return home and begin picking up his training as usual. At the Sith's side was his dual-bladed lightsaber, an extension of himself he had missed. 

He had made regular visits to one of the detestable clubs here for a week now, even though he knew better than to place faith in a Jedi. As for what exactly Maul was hoping would come of this, he wasn't sure. 

And it didn't take long for the Sith to begin sensing Obi-Wan's presence. Cautious, Maul reached out with his force senses to try and see if the Jedi truly did come alone, he didn't need to be surrounded by them now. _Fool, if you are, it's your own doing._ The Sith thought bitterly. Although he always had excellent control of his body, Maul found himself holding his breath as the Jedi came closer.

To the right, one of the decorated durasteel doors slid open and allowed a very nervous looking Obi-Wan inside. He barely walked two feet before a bouncer was on him, blocking his entry. 

"What's a Jedi doing here?" The bouncer sneered, "Temple brats don't come down here unless they're going to cause trouble."

"I'm just meeting someone." Obi-Wan replied as calmly as he possibly could, fists clenched at his sides. The bouncer began to say something else, and then he began to choke. Maul sauntered over to the doorway, glaring at the man. 

"You will let him pass, we have business." The Sith snapped, releasing the bouncer from the force choke he'd used. For a moment, the other man looked about ready to spring on them, but decided against it. There was no use in stirring up a scene if it wasn't necessary. 

"Keep him on a short leash." The bouncer grunted, walking off. Maul turned his attention to the Jedi now, expression softer, only just barely. 

"So you decided to come, I see."

"Yes. I wanted to know what the hell you were thinking." Obi-Wan hissed, "You killed more people, I-"

The protests died off when Maul pulled him into a quick kiss, the low-light of the place hiding them from prying eyes. Obi-Wan didn't resist, but he tensed up at the contact, the Sith's utter disregard for anything he said was maddening. 

"I wasn't about to be stuck in a cell for the rest of my life." Maul said, gently taking one of Obi-Wan's hands with his own gloved one. "You knew it was going to happen, didn't you? Surely you're not that oblivious, Jedi."

"I have a name." His companion protested, pulling his hand back defiantly. "And alright, so maybe I did, but I was hoping you'd be better than that. You have punishment in order for your crimes, Maul."

"And who's to say I'm not going to suffer?" The Zabrak growled back, pushing Obi-Wan towards the door now. "My master is most displeased with me, _Kenobi_." 

"Your master isn't justice!" Obi-Wan returned, nearly tripping on his way onto the quieter streets. The Sith didn't stop there, urging him to keep walking with him for a ways down the dim alley. 

It was almost like a cruel twist of fate, really. As soon as Maul had managed to set himself free, he came to learn that his master was beginning to seek another apprentice. And although he'd been allowed home, Maul knew it would only be temporary, so he'd lashed out first. 

"He's not my master formally anymore." The Zabrak eventually said, turning to face Obi-Wan. Maul looked exhausted, ill-rested and wary. "I left, I told him I was resigning...In a sense."

"In a sense?"

"....I destroyed a lot of expensive things and walked out." 

"Of course." Obi-Wan wasn't quite sure how to take such news, would this still make Maul a sith? It was a philosophy as much as it was a faction, so really anyone could be a Sith by title if they truly believed in such causes. The second concern was for Maul's well-being, he'd placed everything on his master, depended on him for approval. How would he cope with being alone? 

"So I am going to leave." Maul said, and the Jedi's gaze shot back up to meet his. 

"Leave? Leave where? You can't just... _Leave_." Obi-Wan argued, to no avail. The Zabrak merely cocked his head to one side and watched him closely. Then he reached out and pulled the Jedi closer, embracing him. 

They sat like this for a time, Maul letting it sink into his companion that this would likely be the last time they would ever meet. Any further information about what he might be doing, or where he was going didn't matter, the point was clear. The Jedi would not be following him. 

Obi-Wan understood, but sadness gnawed at his gut, another loss to shoulder. "So this is it, then?"

"Indeed it is." Maul muttered, allowing himself to gently take the Jedi's jaw in one hand. He gave another kiss, lingering just slightly before drawing back and stroking Obi-Wan's cheek with his thumb. "You feel as though you have failed me, and yourself. Because I didn't obey. You didn't fail, Obi-Wan. Because of you, I am free."

Free. A double edged meaning in this case, but the Jedi smiled weakly. And then he threw his arms around the other man, hugging him tightly for the very first and last time.


End file.
